Anker SOLIX C1000 Gen 2: what it runs
The C1000 Gen 2 is the current C1000 in the UK, at £599. It has the most output of the 1 kWh models we compare, 2,000 W, four UK sockets and some of the fastest mains charging, and it keeps a fridge-freezer, router and two phones going for roughly 8.4 h to 32 h. The catch: it can't take an extra battery, which the original C1000 could. The original is sold out at Anker UK.
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The short answer
What it runs in a power cut
| What's plugged in | Anker SOLIX C1000 Gen 2 | EcoFlow DELTA 3 | Jackery Explorer 1000 v2 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Router, fibre box, 2 phones and a lamp | 16 h to 46 h | 16 h to 46 h | 17 h to 48 h |
| Fridge-freezer, router and 2 phones | 8.4 h to 32 h | 8.4 h to 32 h | 8.8 h to 33 h |
| Fridge-freezer, router, 2 phones, TV and 2 lamps | 6.5 h to 25 h | 6.5 h to 25 h | 6.8 h to 26 h |
| Fridge-freezer and chest freezer | 5.5 h to 22 h | 5.5 h to 22 h | 5.7 h to 23 h |
Our estimates from the sizer, as a range from heavy to light use, allowing for the energy lost in the power station itself. A modern fridge-freezer uses 0.4-1.5 kWh a day depending on the model and the weather. Not lab figures; try your own list in the sizer.
Its 2,000 W covers a microwave or a toaster with the fridge running. Anker's SurgePad mode runs heating appliances such as a kettle up to 2,400 W at reduced power; Anker's guide says it's "not recommended for motor driven devices like refrigerators".
C1000 Gen 2 or the original C1000?
| C1000 Gen 2 | C1000 (original) | |
|---|---|---|
| Battery | 1,024 Wh | 1,056 Wh |
| Output | 2,000 W (3,000 W peak) | 1,800 W (3,000 W peak) |
| Mains charging | 1,600 W, full in 49 minutes | 1,300 W, full in 58 minutes |
| Switchover | 10 ms | 20 ms |
| Extra battery | No | Yes, to about 2 kWh |
| Weight | 11.3 kg | 12.9 kg |
| Rated life | 4,000 cycles to 80% | 3,000 cycles |
| UK sockets | 4 | 4 |
| Light | No | Yes, a light bar |
| In the UK | £599, in stock | Sold out at Anker UK |
The Gen 2 is lighter, faster to charge and quicker to switch over, and supplies more power. The original's advantage was the extra battery. You may also see a "C1000X": a version sold in American shops, not in the UK.
Warranty: Anker UK's page says "Hassle-Free Warranty" but its UK warranty table doesn't yet list the Gen 2; Anker's US policy gives it 60 months, the same as the original C1000 in the UK. Ask Anker UK before relying on five years.
What testers found
These are measurements other testers have published, credited with links. Some tested a European or American version, with different sockets.
- Notebookcheck got 850 Wh out (83%) at a steady 250 W load, charged it in just under 55 minutes without the fast mode, and measured about 45 dB at a metre under high load or fast charging, and much quieter at lower loads (a sample supplied by Anker).
- The Solar Lab charged it from empty in about 47 minutes in the app's UltraFast mode, measured about 86% efficiency and an idle draw of around 13.8 W, and noted it has no working light.
- The Technology Man ran a 1 kW heater for just over 54 minutes on 907 Wh (89%), charged it from flat in 47 minutes, and timed the switchover at under 10 ms, but it overheated after 26 minutes at 2 kW, which he said the nearby heater may have contributed to.
Good points and drawbacks
Good
- 2,000 W, the most of the 1 kWh models we compare.
- Fast mains charging: under an hour in every test we found.
- Four UK sockets, and a switchover of under 10 ms, timed by The Technology Man.
- Lighter than the DELTA 3, at 11.3 kg.
Drawbacks
- No extra battery, ever: Anker says it doesn't take one.
- The fastest charging only works above 20°C battery temperature, Anker says.
- Audible at high load or fast charging: about 45 dB at a metre, by Notebookcheck's meter, and much quieter at lower loads.
- It overheated after 26 minutes at 2 kW in The Technology Man's test, though he noted the nearby heater may have contributed.
Who should buy something else
- Room to add a battery later: the EcoFlow DELTA 3. See EcoFlow DELTA 3.
- The same energy for less: the Bluetti Elite 100 V2 at £449, or the Jackery Explorer 1000 v2 (£398 at Currys, sold out there when we checked). See EcoFlow vs Jackery vs Bluetti.